Woman murdered in Belapur, daughter found sleeping on divider

Officials of the NRI police station in CBD Belapur have a mystery on their hands, after they recovered the body of one Surekha Bhima Aantgali from Sector 20 in Belapur village around 4.30 am on Friday, and some time later, were alerted that her three-year-old daughter had been found sleeping on the footpath on Palm Beach Road.

Surekha (left) and her daughter, three-year-old Chakuli Aantgali

The deceased, who is estimated to be in her late 20s, had her name tattooed on her right forearm, which helped the police identify her. They were flummoxed, however, when Surekha’s three-year-daughter, Chakuli, was found sleeping on a divider on Palm Beach Road by a local resident at around 8 am, who asked her about her parents and handed her over to the police.

Residents of Sector 20 were alerted about Surekha’s body lying in the area after a woman spotted it and informed others. Officials from the NRI police station reached the spot and sent Surekha’s body to the Vashi Municipal Hospital for a post-mortem. Around 8 am, a woman living in the NRI complex saw Chakuli sleeping on the Palm Beach Road divider.

Officials said when the toddler was brought to the police station, they noticed that the shade of her nail polish resembled that of Surekha’s. When Chakuli was shown Surekha’s photo, she identified her as her mother.

CopspeakSub-inspector Sachin Bendre from NRI police station said, “According to the autopsy report, the incident happened around midnight on Thursday, and Surekha was strangled to death.

We tried asking the girl about her address, but all she could tell us was that she is from this area. We are now looking for Surekha’s husband and family.” A case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against unidentified persons.